Geneva City Council

By RACHEL RIETSEMA

Staff Writer

Mayor Steve Bailey and all council members assembled for Geneva’s city council meeting on July 12 at 7 p.m.

Councilman Taff Worrell made a motion to approve minutes, bills payable and financial report. Rich Weckwerth seconded and with no one opposed, they moved on to late items.

Bailey invited Bob Danner, Alliant Energy representative, to the table for some friendly discussion about new franchise agreements. Council members listened in as Danner proposed two different options, a 25-year contract with a 15-year window, and a 20-year contract with a 10-year window.

But for Danner to give exact rates, he had no ability to do that; the state shutdown has put the 22 percent increase proposal at a standstill. He did inform the council that by the looks of things, the increase will end up being less than the proposed 22 percent.

Calls received/action taken by the New Richland Police Department:

Saturday, July 2, 2:20 a.m. —Parking complaint N. W. 2nd St. Administrative citation issued.

Saturday, July 2, 6:55 p.m. — Agency assist Hwy 13 N. of town. Debris removed from roadway.

Sunday, July 3, 10:20 a.m. —Theft. Unspecified location. Report for insurance.

Sunday, July 3, 4:25 p.m. — Hit and run/DUI. Hwys 13 and 30. Party arrested.

Sunday, July 3, 9:35 p.m. — Civil stand-by N.E. 3rd St. Stand-by while party obtained personal items.

Monday, July 4, 12:25 a.m. — Juvenile nuisance/disturbance N. Birch Ave.  Matter resolved.

Monday, July 4, 7:35 p.m. —Suspicious circumstances N. Broadway Ave. Someone possibly entered residence. No damage/nothing missing.

Wednesday, July 6, 11 a.m. —Ordinance vioation N. Broadway Ave. Party given compliance letter.

Thursday, July 7, 3:25 p.m. — Ordinance violations N.W. 4th St. Party given compliance letters.

Thursday, July 7, 4:55 p.m. —Agency assist/driving complaint. Hwy 13 S. of town. Unable to locate.

Thursday, July 7, 5:15 p.m. — Disturbance St. Olaf Lake Park beach. Parties already gone.

Thursday, July 7, 7:40 p.m. — Suspicious circumstances. Hwy 13 N. of town. Referred to Waseca County.

Friday, July 8, 11:35 p.m. — Bar check N. Broadway Ave. All okay per staff.

Saturday, July 9, 12:35 a.m. — Bar check N. Broadway Ave. All okay per staff.

Saturday, July 9. 1:30 a.m. — Bar check N. Broadway Ave. Staff request assistance clearing bar. Cleared and closed.

Sunday, July 10, 4:30 p.m. — Hit and run W. Division St. Report completed.

Monday, July 11, 3:25 p.m. —Medical assist N. W. 6th St. 

Monday, July 11, 8:30 a.m. — Theft of motor vehicle S.E. 2nd St.  Vehicle entered stolen, found in Freeborn County. Under investigation.

Monday, July 11, 8:15 p.m. — Ordinance violation St. Olaf Lake Park beach. Parties warned glass containers not allowed in park.

Monday, July 11, 10:25 p.m. — Suspicious circumstances N.E. 3rd St. Male party seen near vehicle, when questioned, left area.

Tuesday, July 12, 3:00 a.m. — Theft of motor vehicle W. Division St. Vehicle located in Steele County. Suspect located later and arrested.

Thursday, July 14, 7 a.m. — Medical assist W. Division St. 

Thursday, July 14, 7 p.m. — Hit and run S. Birch Ave. Report for insurance.

Thursday, July 14, 8:10 p.m. — Three “I Got Caught” tickets issued to juveniles wearing bike helmets on S. W. 1st St.

Thursday, July 14, 11:55 p.m. — Agency assist/driving complaint. Hwy 13 S. of town. Party okay, dropped phone.

Friday, July 15, 12:15 a.m. — Ordinance violation St. Olaf Lake Park. Parties warned on park closing time.

Friday, July 15, 9:20 a.m. — Medical assist N. E. 3rd St. 

By JODY WYNNEMER

Staff Writer

The New Richland American Legion baseball team saw their state tournament dreams come to an end as they went 2-2 in the playoffs. The Jazz was the number four seed and had to get through some tough teams in their section.

Jazz 6, Dodge Center 3

The Jazz exploded for five of their six runs in the bottom of the second inning and with some good pitching were able to hang on for the win. Carter Tollefson, Nic Mangskau, Matt Dahle, Mitch Akemann, Jake Staloch and Lucas Meyer all garnered one hit each. Akemann started on the mound giving up three runs. Sam Lundberg came on in relief in the fourth inning and allowed no hits or runs, a single walk and fanned eight.

“This was a good team effort,” said Jazz manager Jon Meyer. “Lundberg did a great job of pitching to help us hold on to the lead.”

Stewartville 10, Jazz 0 (six innings)

The Jazz traveled to Stewartville to take on the number one seed on Wednesday, July 13 and were kept scoreless. David Lassahn couldn’t keep the opponents at bay through four innings as he allowed seven runs on 10 hits. Mangskau threw innings five and six, allowing three more runs. Leading hitters for the Jazz were Brad Claycomb (2-3) and Lundberg (2-3.) Dahle, Akemann and Meyer each contributed one hit apiece.

Jazz 3, Hayfield 0

The Jazz needed to keep winning to stay in the playoffs as they made a return trip to Stewartville on July 16. They snuck by the Hayfield Legion team as Akemann pitched a complete game, allowing only five hits, two walks and three strikeouts. Staloch and Akemann each collected two hits. Mangskau, Dahle, Tollefson and Eric Sorenson each had one hit.

Rochester Lourdes, 6, Jazz 2

The season ended on Monday as games which should have been played on Saturday were moved due to wet fields. The number three seed Lourdes hammered Lundberg for 12 hits en route to eliminating the Jazz from contention.

The Jazz countered with only three hits, doubles by Akemann and Tollefson and a single by Lundberg.

The American Legion District One Tournament will be this weekend in LaCrescent. The state competition will be held in Ely July 29-31.

Life is the berries, as my Grandma Hanson use to say, which makes me think of the many fruits and berries I consume every day. Eating organic helps, but they still require a thorough washing before they are used and consumed. 

Blueberries are an exceptional fruit loaded with goodness. Wild berries are far superior to field planted varieties. The chemicals cause the berries to lose their value.

This could be true of many other things too. We think of most chemicals as being a negative oxidant, making the products of less nutritional value. 

Most people know the value of Aloe Vera as a topical aid for burns or abrasions. It has a healing effect, with skin conditioner as well. But, it isn't just good for the outside of the body; it is good for the inside too.

If you are lucky enough to have an Aloe Vera plant, use it.  Aloe Vera is also available in many health food stores.

Sitting in my vehicle recently, I saw adults coming down the street with little children by the hand. It’s amazing how those little ones have to take so many more steps, at a much faster rate, so they can keep up with the adult’s stride. 

They have their little arm extended up over their head, in efforts to hang on to their parent's hand.  Try it sometime and see how quickly it becomes uncomfortable.

My mother, my sister Kaye, and her two boys used to stay at the campgrounds at the Minnesota State Fair. My dad would then extend the handle on the big red wagon which, with a little bit of padding, gave my nephews, Kade and Cameron, a nice soft ride when they were at the fair. 

When the boys did walk along, they had a large dog collar or belt around their waist, connected to a dog leash. The sight brought some weird stares, and I am sure, interesting thoughts.  The boys never minded though because they were safe, and had the advantage of not getting an arm cramp from raising their arm up high.  It also gave them a little leeway and freedom to walk and skip their own way.

Pets, especially little ones, have to do a two or three step catch up too, but they have the satisfaction of freedom with the leash.  Often times, it seems like they are pulling their caregiver along, enjoying the attention and exercise.

Alzheimer's disease is an escalating health epidemic. An estimated 5.4 million people are living with Alzheimer's in America, and as many as 16 million will be living with the problem by 2050.  The efforts of the Alzheimer's Association - Walk to End Alzheimer's - are more important than ever before. 

Is there something that we can do to end Alzheimer's?  Yes, we can walk together in a movement to reclaim the future.  Every dollar that people are able to raise through "Walk," benefits the care, support and research efforts of the Alzheimer's Association.

Many people have been affected by this dreaded disease.  As one daughter explained, "I'm here today for my father.  He can't talk, but I can, He can't walk, but I can.  He can't thank you, but I can."

This is something that we should all think about. Many people struggle with diseases, handicaps, and a myriad of other problems.

It is never too early to teach a child to know their full name and the name of their mother and father, just in case they get separated in a crowd or even in a large store, where visibility is often obstructed by displays. 

Some youngsters like to play hide and seek by getting their little bodies into a rack of clothes etc. As a result, they become invisible to a parent or caregiver.  Please help them, so that they can be helped, if needed.

It is hard to believe that it is fair time already.  The Waseca County Fair took place this week, and the Freeborn and Steele County Fairs will also be taking place in the not too distant future.  Once the fairs are over, it is time for school to start again and summer is over.

It is amazing what elasticity there seems to be in the bodies of dancers competing on some of the talent shows on television recently. They have to love what they do and then some.  It seems like their bodies are made of rubber, and maybe even double jointed. 

I think most of us could do tai chi, a slow and simple exercise regimen considered to be the best exercise that there is. Still, many of us won’t be able to dance like these competitors.

The talent displayed by many very young children able to sing, play an instrument or dance, at such an early age, may come from a talented home life. The gifts they have been given, needs to be encouraged.

I am already a little sick of the political campaigning for the President of the United States, and other political offices.  It seems like more time and effort is spent getting into office than is used once they achieve political position.  I've always thought there should be a timeline on campaigning. 

It doesn't seem fair that our politicians can collect their wages when they aren't there, at the office so to speak, because they are out campaigning.

So who runs the office when they're gone?  Should we give them credit for being so capable or should we look with a judicious eye at what they're doing, including being in two places at once?  Election Day is still four months away.

Some of our Star Eagle readers have commented that they like to read about the local happenings and family events such as family and school reunions, birthday and anniversary celebrations, and birth and wedding announcements.

In order to read about these important things, we need our faithful readers to pass along the information to us, so we can then pass along the news to you.  If you have news to share, please contact me.

Also, if our NRHEG Star Eagle readers would like to share birthdays and anniversaries of your family and friends, or you know of some that should be deleted, or names have changed, please contact me via e-mail, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; by postal mail, P. O. Box 192, Geneva, MN 56035 or telephone, 507-256-4405.

• Thursday, July 21: Riley Marzloff, Julie Langlie, Violet Elise Aronson, Lindsay Smith, Marilyn Sullivan, Trudy Abel Holm, Marcia DeVriendt, Randy Anderson, Michele Granowski Domeier, Mike Collins, Nicholas Miller, Micki Heimer, Ed & Nancy Ver Hey, Katie & Paul Troe, Mike & Amy Glienke.

• Friday, July 22: Warren Torgerson, Colleen Brekke, Jodie Hohansee Waalkens, Shari Crabtree, Jeff Olson, Joanie Ayers, Jesse Collins, Avis DeRaad, Tyler Joshua Lair, Carl Anderson, Vicki & Kory Kress, Tara & Scott Peterson, Tara & Chad Cliff, Michael & David Haugh.

• Saturday, July 23: Barb Kubat, Jackie Layland, Diane Broskoff, Jim Brown, Ron Kraiser, Kelly Pitcock, Carl Glienke Sr., Nathan & Michelle Jacobson, Brooke & Isaiah Lundberg, LuAnn & Keith Miller.

• Sunday, July 24: Marilyn Goslee, Robert Carter Edwards, Katie May, Joy Peterson, Pat Schulz, Jeff Thompson, Phillip Briggs, Denise & Richard Olson, Trisha & Casey Johnson, Greg & Shari Lassahn.

• Monday, July 25: Sue Hill, Kari Janka Hareid, Stan Mork, Ivy Oland, Ann Falksen, Rick Hagen, Cole Pospesel, Kristine & Jesse Routh.

• Tuesday, July 26: Clara White, her 101th birthday, Jordyn Marie Wobschall, Kristine Broskoff Routh, Mark Bartness, Jane Osmundson, Amy Radke, Jean Smith, Scott & Cheryl Christensen.

• Wednesday, July 27: Ben Groth, Lori Dirksen, Nita Dooley, Mark Helmers, Nicki Spurr, Rick Spurr, Rhiannon Farr, Alison Underland, Dave Schulz, Kory Klecker, Lillian Rose Olson, Steve & Jinny Nielsen, Travis & Ashley Broskoff, Marguerite & Milton Nelson.

• Thursday July 28: Mike Luhring, Kari Wayne, DeWayne Jensen, Dennis Jensen, Penny Jensen, Eric Lee, Christian Burnes, Donnie Turvold, Jim & Maryalice Hanson, George & Sue Stieglbauer, Gary & Emily Ayers, Melissa & Scott Michie, Ellie & Chad Schutrop.

Enjoy every joy your special day will bring.

On Friday, July 15th, at 3 a.m., my boyfriend, two of our friends and I were just being seated for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part Two at the Great Clips IMAX theater, in 3D. I was both looking forward to it and dreading it at the same time. I was looking forward to it because I'm a huge Harry Potter fan (hence why I dragged my friends up to the cities for a 3 a.m. showing), but I was dreading it because I knew what this movie meant. It meant the end of Harry Potter, and the thought of that made me really, really sad.

Many people don't understand just exactly why it makes me so sad. But Harry Potter has been a big part of my life for the past 16 years. I remember the first Harry Potter book. I was 6 years old, and Geri McShane, a coworker of my dad's at the Albert Lea Tribune, had recommended he read the book to us. It was the very first book, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. He started reading it to us, because none of us were at the reading level required to be able to understand it ourselves. He never really got interested in it, and didn't finish reading it. But that didn't stop me from trying. It wasn’t until I was about 8 that I could actually read it all myself. By that time, the second book, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, had been released, so I checked it out from the library and read it. From then on, I was hooked. When I was in fourth grade, our teacher read the first, second and third books to us aloud during the hour of "quiet time" we got after lunch. By that time, however, I had been through every book that had been released. There were only four at the time. Then, when the fifth, sixth and seventh books were released, I bought them the day they came out and locked myself in my room and read them straight through.

After the books came the movies. I didn't see the first two in the theater, but I remember seeing the third through seventh movies in theaters at least twice. I saw the third, fifth, and seventh (part two) at the IMAX. I was obsessed. I bought Harry Potter posters, film books, coins, music boxes, apparel — I couldn't get enough. I even wrote Harry Potter stories and published them on various fan fiction Web sites from fifth to eighth grade. I don't really know why I stopped.

There are tons of people around the world who are huge Harry Potter fans like myself. Eight million copies of Deathly Hallows sold in its first 24 hours in the U.S. alone. Three hundred and twenty five million copies of the first six books have sold globally (as of 2007). The book has been translated into 65 languages, including Hindi, Welsh and Vietnamese. The books have been distributed in over 200 countries. As of 2007, the five Harry Potter movies made a worldwide $4.1 billion. And J.K. Rowling's net worth is estimated at $1 billion. 

J.K. Rowling didn't just write a book series. She created a new and amazing world, a world where magic is real, broomsticks fly, and things like giants, house elves, and witches and wizards exist. To some, it may sound silly. But to most, the books are treasured — the numbers pretty much speak for themselves.

Seeing the last Harry Potter film in theaters signified the end of an era. As you read the books, you come to know and love the characters in them. Even when Deathly Hallows came out, I still knew I had three more movies to look forward to. But now it's all over. I grew up with Harry Potter, and the end of the books and movies is kind of like the end of my childhood (which is ironic, because I'll be 18 in a month). I remember crying while reading about Harry's Godfather, Sirius Black, dying in the fifth book, and Dumbledore dying in the sixth book, and then Fred Weasley, Remus Lupin, and Nymphadora Tonks all being killed in the seventh book. Following all of Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger's adventures through seven books and eight movies gave me something to be excited about and to look forward to all these years. It makes me very sad to see it all end, but I'll always be a huge Harry Potter fan. I'm so glad J.K. Rowling could create something like this, something that can touch the hearts of so many like it did mine. I've started re-reading the books from the beginning, although I've read them all at least three times. They don't get old, not to me. They'll forever hold a place in my heart.

In my last column, I stressed how important it is for our kids to get out and enjoy some outdoor activities. I just really feel that it’s important to introduce our youth to the outdoors experience. It has been said many times over that the youth of today are the leaders of tomorrow. 

This is only a common sense statement because of the ageing thing. However when the youth of today lose touch with something as important as the outdoors, it is troubling.

Last week, my oldest grandson Trevor called me in the evening. He told me that he and his youngest brother Grant were fishing in a nearby “crick.” Not only was he surprised by what they were catching, but I too was surprised to hear it. They were catching bullheads (not earth shaking news) and bluegills, some pretty decent perch and even a catfish. When fishing in a small creek, that is not directly connected to a known fishing lake, this is an exciting experience to this writer.

The excitement in Trevor’s voice told me that he was having a blast. The idea of catching that many species of fish in a place that you didn’t expect was pretty awesome. I immediately thought of the times when I roamed the slough on north Bridge Street and would see a fish that wasn’t common to that body of water. 

I remember the first time I hauled up some small crappies in the minnow net we used at the old bridge. Crappies weren’t all that common in Fountain Lake back then, and to find them in the “crick” was almost unimaginable. It was instances like this that taught me to learn to love the outdoors and appreciate the surprises that Mother Nature would occasionally spring on us.

Some of us never lose that kid feeling when we are exploring new territories in our outdoors world. It is the same kind of feeling I get when I’m fishing and anticipating that “big one” lurking just around the next point. I still get that feeling, but now whenever I’m fishing with the grandkids, I am wishing that they will be the ones to experience that fish. Don’t get me wrong, I still get that kid feeling whenever I go fishing whether it’s on a northern lake or a creek close to home – it’s all good!

There were many lazy summer days when this kid would ride his bike over to his friend Jim Foley’s farm to play. He lived on Hammer Road, which at that time didn’t seem to have a name. I just knew it was gravel and that I had to ride my bike past this nasty old Holstein bull that resided in the pasture of a farm on the way. The farm was about where the field house is now for the football field. 

If that bull was grazing by the fence in the pasture below the hill when, I would ride by and watch him running along the fence bellering. He’d chase me until I chugged up the steep hill and was out of sight.

Once at Jim’s place we played in the barn swinging from the hayloft, dropping on a pile of straw bales below. This was great fun until his dad discovered how many bales had (accidently) been broken; then it was time to discover new territories. I have to admit that all the while we were playing, the image of that bull running along the fence line would occasionally pop into my head, because I knew that there was only one route home.

There also were a few trips back to “dead man’s woods,” which just by the name alone was always intriguing to kids looking for adventure. I’m not sure how the woods got its name, but I’d heard that a local hunter had set a snare trap for deer. When he went back to check it, he forgot the location and was caught in his own trap. 

I’m sure there are other local legends about this woods, but that’s the one I’m sticking with. A kid with a little imagination might even have thought that the woods were haunted.

One hot August summer day while exploring a small “crick” north of the road, we found a place where the water was reduced to a trickle in this wooded area. There was a pool that was deeper than the rest. In that pool, we discovered small bluegills and perch along with some bullheads and minnows. Now this seemed like pretty exciting stuff to a young aspiring outdoorsman who seemed to look for signs of fish in every puddle of water he came upon. 

I remember how troubling it was to me to think that it wouldn’t be long before that pool would dry up in the heat of the summer, if we didn’t get some rain. I never did go back to that place. Maybe it was because I knew that the same exact situation would never occur again, and subconsciously I wanted to remember it just the way it was.

I have always been infatuated by whatever swims just below the surface of our lakes, creeks and streams. Sometimes discovering fish in an area where you didn’t expect them to be almost seems like a miracle of sorts. If I ever get to the point that I no longer get that tingling of excitement from exploring the outdoors, then it’s time to close the old tackle box and hang up the fishing pole.

Until next time do a little fishing and get out and explore our great Minnesota outdoors.

Please remember to keep our troops in your thoughts and prayers during the coming year.

The Minnesota Twins have brought themselves back into contention. As I write this, they are five games back of Cleveland and Detroit in the American League Central Division. They have come from close to despair, into a respectable position in the division race.

It is not yet time to order playoff tickets, but fan anxiety has lessened. It was a tough three and half months testing the will of all true believers and casual fans alike. But the Twins have now reached a point where they can lose a game, accept it and move onto the next game. One thing about baseball, unlike football, another game is immediately on the horizon and you don’t get to spend a lot of time brooding about the previous day’s loss.

The first-place Cleveland Indians are coming to town and there is some anxiety on both teams for if the Indians lose all four that would cut their lead to one game. That’s hard to believe after Cleveland’s great start and the Twins’ terrible April and May. Conversely, if the Twins lose four games to the Tribe, the Twins will be nine games back and their sterling play of the past month and a half will be largely undone. I don’t think this catastrophe is going to occur. The pressure is not on the Twins, it is on the Indians. As Michael Cuddyer stated recently, "It is easier to come from behind than it is to be the leader." Why? I’m not sure and I guess I would have to ask a sports psychologist to really know, but it seems to me that it is more difficult to defend than to attack. That aggressiveness is on the side of the attacker, not the defender. Another factor that may play into the next Cleveland and Detroit series is momentum. The Twins have it and once you start the ball rolling, it is easier to keep it rolling that to stop it. Teams start to believe in themselves and right now the Twins are full of positives.

Cuddyer has shown the way with clutch hitting. He has come through on numerous occasions and others have followed suit. Another positive for the team is their little weak-armed rookie Ben Revere. He has brought to the Twins what shortstop Tsuyoshi Nishioka was expected to provide: waking up the team with spark and dazzle and proving that you didn’t need three-run homers from the absent Jason Kubel and Justin Morneau to score runs and win. Revere has proven to be a catalyst, causing good things to happen at the top of the lineup. He has become what we all hoped from one-time Twin Carlos Gomez. If I was an opposing pitcher, I would rather have Joe Mauer or even Jim Thome batting. He is a disturbance at the plate and on the base paths.

Given Revere, Mauer’s play of late, Delmon Young’s hot streak, Cuddyer’s leadership, Alexi Casilla’s summer play, what’s not to like? And don’t forget we have Span, Kuble and Morneau waiting in the wings. Morneau is not due back for another month, but there will be more than a month and a half left in the season when he does come back. I hope Manager Ron Gardenhire is able to find room for Revere when the team is at full strength.

Things are beginning to come together for our Twins and they are looking more and more like a team that will be able to handle some losses in exchange for many more wins.

Echoes from the Loafers’ Club Meeting

“Are you telling the truth?”

“Have I ever lied to you?”

“Constantly.”

“Well, there’s your answer.”

Driving by the Bruces

I have two wonderful neighbors — both named Bruce — who live across the road from each other. Whenever I pass their driveways, thoughts occur to me, such as: gravity makes sure that life isn’t easy for anyone.

Things I’ve learned

1. If you pour strong coffee into a toilet, the toilet’s handle jiggles itself.

2. The goal of the last conference speaker of the day is to finish early.

3. I can stand a lot of pain as long as it’s not mine.

A left turn isn’t right

UPS delivers millions of packages and documents each day. I see those signature brown UPS trucks everywhere. I read a New York Times article relating that UPS has operating procedures to avoid making left turns as much as possible. This practice is meant to save the gas used while idling in preparation of making a left hand turn.

I followed a UPS truck that made two left hand turns ahead of me. We made up most of the vehicles on the road, so it spent no time idling while waiting for traffic to clear. I made two right turns and three left turns to take me to a supermarket. I pushed a shopping cart down the aisles while attempting to make nothing but right turns. I didn’t wait for a single traffic light to change, but I don’t think it increased the cart’s gas mileage. It was sample day at the supermarket. Nice folks took positions in areas of heavy traffic in the store and offered free samples of foodstuffs. I found myself at the corner of “bread/buns, soup, dry beans, saltines, broth, lunch meats” and “ketchup/mustard, vinegar, canning supplies, pickles/olives, salad dressing, mayo,” enjoying a mini-slice of pizza. I was multi-tasking — shopping and supping. The truth be told, the only reason husbands shop for food, other than necessity, is because it is sample day. When it comes to free samples, husbands know which way to turn.

I ran after the first shot

We were co-leaders of a birding tour that had found a good bird in North Dakota. We needed to do a celebratory something. He went for the high five. I went for a handshake. He went for the low slap. I went for the fist bump. We settled on a lift of the chins as a, “Nice.” Only the latter was what we both expected.

I was new to the school experience. We lined up in the gym for immunizations. I was the first in line for my grade. I’m not sure why. I had pretended to be brave about the upcoming shot (they gave us too much notice) for so long, that I had become brave. A friend from the grade ahead of me was first in line, just ahead of me. She was brave about everything. Nothing frightened her — not even vocabulary tests or hotdishes with secret ingredients. The doctor gave her the shot in her arm and she smiled in defiance — until the needle broke. Her calm smile turned into a terrified scream. My bravery deserted me and I made a run for it. My teacher caught me by the scruff of my neck. She wore high heels, but she was quick in them. I didn’t expect any of that.

Lightning bugs

When I was a tot, I discovered lightning bugs. Sensation came first, followed by perception. I thought it was magic. Then I learned about fireflies. Now when I see tiny lights traveling through my yard, I know that it is magic.

Tornado tales

The tornado had not left him with much. He rebuilt. It was a slow process. I asked him how it was going. He told me that the new shed that was replacing the one destroyed by winds was a dandy. He explained that a door on his old shed had not been situated properly to be of much use. The new shed had a door that was just right. He smiled. We are a resilient lot.

Nature notes

Some roadsides are blue. The flowers are chicory, best known for being an alternative to coffee. A German folk legend tells of a young couple who parted. The young maiden went each morning to the road where she had separated from her betrothed and awaited his return from a voyage. She eventually succumbed to despair and died by the side of the road. Chicory grew at that spot. Chicory opens its flowers in the morning and closes them at night.

In gratitude

I encountered readers of this column while speaking for Huntington’s Disease Association, Farm America, St. John’s Home, Farm Bureau, Relay For Life, and Janesville Chamber of Commerce. I visited with readers at Cobb Creek Vineyard’s Camp Courage fundraiser and Farm & City Days. Thanks for reading.

Meeting adjourned

Wisdom speaks in kind words.

Thanks to Jackson Knudson, a Universtiy of North Dakota freshman to be; he gave Genie and I a free train ride on the Union Pacific Railroad from Albert Lea to Hope and back. The car we were in was built in 1953. (In 1955, I rode in the same type of car as a Navy enlisted man.) We rode looking ahead. While coming back, rather than turn the train around, we rode backwards. The purpose: train safety education.

The train conductor informed us that we were only going as far as Hope because then, he could announce, “Hope is just ahead.” If we went further, he would have to announce, “We’re beyond Hope.” The train conductor went by the handle of “Sly Fox.”

The train ride brought back memories as a youngster staying at my grandparents farm by Hope. The Rock Island train went by their farm at 90 miles per hour. (The top speed was 49 miles per hour of the train Genie and I were on.) I got to see the Rock Island going through Hope at full speed, and was able to grab a mail bag off a hook for a mail car.  This was sorted by two mailmen doing the same thing at each town on their way to the Twin Cities main post office.

There is now a powerful bug zapper for purchase. It has trouble distinguishing bad bugs from good bugs. It is so powerful that low-flying ultra-light flyers are possible targets. Has anyone seen Mark Sorenson of Geneva lately?

With all of the rain and hot weather, there are mushrooms in all the shaded areas here at Beaver Lake. Some are very small, the size of a marble. Some are very big, the size of a basketball. Some are round on top, some are flat. Some are yellowish. Some are orange. Some are white. I’ve been told mushrooms fried are very good just so long as they aren’t poisonous. 

In trying to find out the poisonous versus the non-poisonous, I had no luck. ‘Twas then I got the idea of frying in peanut butter a few of those that looked alike and feeding them to a pesky raccoon who raids our bird feeders. If, after a few days, the raccoon did come back, then it was safe for us to eat that variety. Now I had a good plan until Genie mentioned there might be more than one raccoon!

According to “Good Morning America,” there is now a DNA test for dog poop. Get a saliva swab from the suspected dogs and for a fee, and a company will tell whose poop is whose. (They can also do the same thing with humans.)

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Bob is a retired AAL (Aid Association for Lutherans) agent. His wife, Genie, is a retired RN, currently working on her doctor’s degree in volunteering. They have two children, Deb in North Carolina, and Dan in Vermont. This is the Hanson’s 36th summer at Beaver Lake. They leave the lake in mid-October to go south — to Albert Lea — and return in April. Bob says if you enjoy his article, let him know. If you don’t enjoy it, keep on reading, it can get worse. Words of Wisdom: There is always room for God. 

The scurs were on target with the heat wave predictions, unfortunately. What are their predictions for this week? Starting Wednesday, clear skies with highs near 95 and lows around 75. Thursday, partly cloudy with a chance of an overnight shower. Highs around 85 and lows of 70. Partly cloudy on Friday and Saturday with a chance of an overnight shower both days. Highs of 85 - 90 and low of 70. Partly cloudy on Sunday with highs of 85 and lows dropping to 65. Mostly sunny on Monday with highs of 80 – 85 and lows of 60 – 65. Mostly sunny on Tuesday and, are you ready for this? Highs near 75 and lows around 60. The normal high for July 23rd is 84 and the normal low is 62. On Wednesday the 20th we experience 15 hours of daylight the same as we did back on May 23rd. The scurs will celebrate the cooler temps with a short lemonade. Moderation in all things.

The past week saw more tremendous progress made in the crop although it was not without its share of issues for farmers to worry about. Heavy storms moved through the area last Friday not once but twice. The morning thunderstorm came as somewhat of a surprise as rain was originally predicted for later in the day with only small chances in the morning. The matinee was predicted and came through with a vengeance at the ranch. Decided it was a good idea to check the sheep at the kindly neighbors pasture before the storm broke and while there the sky turned pitch black. The sheep were fine and the yard lights were on as I left. It was so dark there the fireflies came out at 3:30 in the afternoon. Had never seen that one before as we hightailed it for home. Had intended to get the mail but by the time I got in the driveway it was raining sideways. It rained so hard by the time I made it in the garage that the barn was nearly imperceptible aside from the yard light on the south side. Total rainfall amounts on the day varied anywhere from 1.5” to near 6”. This meant some potential nitrogen loss in the corn and the winds that were part of both storms in areas caused corn to lodge as well as snapping some off. Soybeans fared better with only some minor leaf tattering from the wind. Some of them have now reached R3. Small grains went flat in places although most fields took it well. Pea yields have ranged anywhere from poor to slightly above average. The heavy rainfall made harvest efforts muddy and challenging. Rainfall so far for the month at the ranch has totaled 4.7” compared with about 5.3” for the month of June.

The heat and humidity have certainly made life miserable and some of that misery will be reflected in next months electric bill. The sheep have been extremely uncomfortable even though we’ve kept fans on them and cool clean water in front of them 24/7. Sheep don’t sweat so have to rely on panting to cool themselves, something they’ve been doing much of the last several weeks. Working with them when it’s been this hot is out of the question. The last thing we want to do given the circumstances is to stress them any more than is absolutely necessary. Ditto for the human component after spending many days working in the heat.

It’s become obvious one robin has it in for me because on many of the days this summer we’ve recorded precip, it has decided to take a dump in the rain gauge. Fortunately the garden hose is nearby to clean it out. It’s just the principle of the thing. The orioles stopped coming to the jelly feeder suddenly which seemed a little odd since it had recently been filled. Closer examination of the situation revealed the windblown rain had pretty well cleaned it out. It didn’t take long upon refilling it and orioles young and old were back feasting again. After Friday’s storms it was surprising to see a wild turkey hen being harassed by a red-winged blackbird as she and her two poults strolled around the grounds, grazing for bugs. Speaking of bugs, the first cicada at the ranch was heard buzzing on Monday the 18th. 

Once again the local varmint population has reared its ugly head. A huge woodchuck has been spotted near the granary and it appears to have done some digging there. My double barrel is on the blink so I grabbed a pump shotgun instead and inserted a couple shells into the magazine. Trouble was after getting used to popping a couple shells into the old blunderbuss all these years, I neglected to chamber a shell. Imagine my disbelief after having the critter dead to rights only to hear a “click” when I pulled the trigger. The woodchuck apparently couldn’t believe it either as it lumbered merrily off to do some more digging. 

Inside the house, a bat decided to show up about bedtime. It maneuvered around the living space quite nimbly and the only way it was detected was by the swishing sound of its wings. Bats are fine with me as long as they stay outside eating insects where they belong. Once they get in the house, it’s all out war. I grabbed the nearest broom and proceeded to do my best Michael Cuddyer impression. When the bat did his down and away slider impression I swung and missed. However I did manage to make contact with the pantry door. No biggy, I thought, as I hunted the little beast down and finally subdued it. After disposing of the bat I happened to look at the pantry door and to my horror discovered I’d made more than just contact; I’d punched a hole in it. The next day I called my little fat vertically challenged Swedish carpenter buddy and explained the situation. Add this latest tragedy to the hole I poked in the siding when clearing the snow off the roof and the one made by the rooster pheasant that flew into the side of the house this spring. I’m sure he’s thinking the way keep making holes in things he’ll be able to cash in and make a full day of it soon.

See you next week…real good then.